Severe Weather Warning
for damaging winds and abnormally high tides
for people in the Goldfields, Central West, Lower West, South West, South Coastal, South East Coastal, Great Southern and Central Wheat Belt forecast districts
Issued at 3:53 pm WST on Friday 20 May 2016.
For people in parts of WA southwest of a line Geraldton to Paynes Find to Israelite Bay. This includes people in, near or between the following towns: Perth metropolitan area, Geraldton, Dalwallinu, Jurien Bay, York, Mandurah, Bunbury, Busselton, Margaret River, Bridgetown, Albany, Katanning, Narrogin, Southern Cross and Esperance.

Weather Situation
The first significant cold front of the year is expected to affect southwest WA during Saturday.

The strong cold front is likely to cause WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WINDS to 100 kilometres per hour that could result in DAMAGE TO HOMES AND PROPERTY. In isolated areas DANGEROUS GUSTS in excess of 125 kilometres per hour could cause SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OR DESTRUCTION to homes and property.

DAMAGING WINDS are expected to develop about the Southwest Capes late Friday evening, extending to reach Perth to Katanning to Albany around 6:00am Saturday and Geraldton to Merredin to Hopetoun by late morning.

HIGHER THAN NORMAL TIDES may cause FLOODING OF LOW-LYING COASTAL AREAS particularly along the west coast during Saturday morning around the time of high tide.

DANGEROUS SURF CONDITIONS which could cause some beach erosion are also likely.

HEAVY RAINFALL will occur with the passage of the front with the heaviest falls expected southwest of a line Perth to Albany. Isolated thunderstorms and small hail are also possible southwest of a line Perth to Albany, extending along the south coast to Esperance during Saturday afternoon and evening.

People in the southwest of WA experience a front as windy as this about 5 times per year.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services advises that people should:

Store or weigh down loose objects such as outdoor furniture.
Have an emergency kit with a battery operated radio, torch, spare batteries and first aid kit.
Ensure pets and animals are in a safe area.
Move vehicles under cover.
Boat owners should securely moor their boats.
Campers should find shelter away from trees, power lines, storm water drains and streams.
If your home or property has significant damage, like a badly damaged roof or flooding, call the SES on 132 500.